Together Fly Garuda, Casting Aside Stigma

KOMPAS/SAMUEL OKTORA

Indonesian Street Soccer Team players practice on a futsal court in Bandung, West Java, Tuesday (25/7). They will take part in the 2017 World Soccer Championship in Oslo, Norway, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 5.

Having a dark past, some Indonesian youth are slow to rise. They are now looking at a brighter future.

It was 7:50 a.m. when Aris Kurnia, 28, arrived at his office at the Cipedes Post Office in Bandung, West Java, Wednesday (26/7). For the last four years, he has delivered letters and packages for the office. After a brief chat with his co-workers, he went straight to his desk.  A stack of letters and packets were waiting to be delivered.

He checked the addresses of the letters and packets one by one. He neatly sorted the letters according to the address. Those with closest addresses were put on the top of the pile. Those with the farthest addresses were placed at the bottom.

"I enjoy this job very much. I was recruited through the path of achievement after representing Indonesia in the Homeless World Cup in France in 2011," Aris said as he put the letters and packets into his bag.

"It\'s 9 a.m., I have to work, OK," said Aris enthusiastically that morning.

The Homeless World Cup (HWC) is a small field soccer championship, with participants consisting of the marginalized from all over the world. Players include former drug addicts, street children and other marginalized people. They used to be considered as riffraff but have become ambassadors of their respective countries.

Held for the first time in Austria in 2003, the HWC is being held in Norway this year. Indonesia has sent representatives through Rumah Cemara, a non-profit organization working in the field of  HIV/AIDS and abandoned people, every year since 2011.

At the HWC in Scotland in 2016, Indonesia came seventh out of the 70 participating countries. This year there are eight participants from West Nusa Tenggara, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java who have passed selection and are ready to leave for Norway. They will compete against representatives from 63 other countries.

Without stigma

The 2017 HWC national team manager, Yana Suryana, alias Jimi, said his team did not have only to win. Nurturing the spirit of new life of the participants and casting aside the stigma from society is their main goal.

"Frequently it is drug addiction or HIV/AIDS that kills former addicts or sufferers, but the stigma is far more dangerous. Life can be far more beautiful if it is without stigma," he said.

Jimi said the HWC had help its alumni go far. Many HWC alumni now have structured lives. However, he did not deny that a handful of players returned to the dark road.

"The HWC has become one of the bridges to shed the stigma to face the future. There are other bridges to build, to raise the level of care by families and surrounding elements, to live together with them," said Jimi.

Andri Kustiawan, 26, has passed that phase. His decision to try out for the HWC in 2011 was a good move. He found a bright new life afterward. The support of friends and families has lifted his spirits.

"The most important thing isn\'t to beat other countries but to win the hearts of Indonesians. Their support enables us to compete and make the nation proud," he said. In France in 2011, Indonesia became the sixth best team from 48 countries.

Returning to home, Andri\'s talent continues to be polished. He was recruited by Vamos Mataram, an elite local futsal team. Finally, Vamos Mataram became the champion of Pro Futsal League 2017. Andri scored the most goals.

Together with Vamos, I will try to make Indonesia proud again. As champion of the national competition, we will represent Indonesia in the AFC Futsal Club Championship 2017 in Vietnam in July this year," said the striker nicknamed "Tactor" because of his ferocity in breaking through the opponent\'s defenses.

His various achievements at the national level have also made Andri a mainstay of the national team in official events. He has been on the  national team at the AFF Futsal Club Championship in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. He was also on the Indonesian team at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2013.

"Soccer saved my life. The HWC was an important turning point," said Andri, who is now an employee of the regional administration-owned water company Tirta Raharja in Bandung regency.

He also received a scholarship from the Pasundan Teachers College in Cimahi, thanks to playing futsal. Succeeding on the futsal field, he is confident that education will make his future even brighter.

One of Andri\'s college friends, Jaka Arsandy, 25, has had a similar experience. After his life was ruined by economic hardship and parental divorce, he has been given a new lease on life. However, not like Andri, the 2015 HWC Netherlands player has decided to pursue a profession as a referee on the soccer field.

The resident of Maleer, Batununggal,  Bandung city, is keen to attend refereeing courses for street soccer, starting from the local level up to soccer training for the community held by the elite Manchester City club in England last month.

"This year I will be a referee again in the 2017 HWC. This is the second time I will be a referee at the event. Last year I was chosen to be a referee in HWC in Scotland. The trust I was given in the past is being given again now that I keep trying," he said.

Peaceful

At 3 p.m., Aris finished work for the day. Dozens of letters and packets had been delivered. However, he did not immediately go home to his place in Kebon Jeruk, Andir, Bandung city, after his duties were done. Riding a motorcycle, he drove to the Bandung Wetan futsal court near the Pasupati overpass. There he shared his skills with the Rumah Cemara soccer community. Many participants at one stage had followed the dark path that Aris had followed. "I have been asked to be one of the coaches," he said.

He openly shared his knowledge on soccer. He also demonstrated a strategy of defending and attacking to motivate the players. Training ended at 4 about p.m. as maghrib approached. The participants did not look tired even though sweat flowed from their bodies.

Aris and other coaches gathered the players before returning home. Forming a circle, they said the serenity prayer, which has become a hallmark of the Rumah Cemara soccer community. The words were forceful and vibrant. "God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference."

The role of HWC caretakers proves that Indonesia can be made proud by anyone. Background becomes insignificant when Garuda is brought to fly high.